Delhi government to decide on odd-even formula on Feb 11

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) The Delhi government will on Thursday take a decision on the future of the odd-even vehicle restriction formula amid indications that it would be re-implemented in the national capital.

Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said here on Wednesday that the government had got an overwhelming response to the odd-even scheme in the feedback it obtained from people.

“Out of the 9,000 email suggestions, we have shortlisted the best 20. I will discuss them with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tomorrow (Thursday). He will announce the final schedule of the re-launch at a press conference,” Rai told reporters here.

Rai earlier in the day tweeted that a decision on the odd-even scheme will be taken on Thursday.

“The Delhi government will take a decision over the future of the odd-even (scheme) tomorrow. A report is being prepared today (Wednesday),” Rai said in the tweet.

The Delhi government implemented the scheme on a trial basis from January 1-15, under which odd-numbered four-wheelers were allowed to ply on odd dates and even-numbered vehicles on even dates.

Rai said the Delhi government had big plans to revamp the public transport. It will add 3,000 buses in phases to the current fleet.

“We have plans to induct 1,000 new cluster buses and another 1,000 air-conditioned buses to the Delhi Transport Corporation fleet by October. We are also in a process of running 1,000 premium buses by private operators,” said the minister.

He said premium buses will have slightly higher fares with comfortable seating.

Rai said the Delhi government will have an ‘e-rickshaw samwaad’, an interactive session with their drivers at the Ramlila ground here on February 17, where the chief minister will distribute subsidy cheques of Rs.15,000 each to registered e-rickshaw operators .

Transport department officials said that 4,600 e-rickshaw operators have already registered themselves with the Delhi government and many more are likely to join in the next one week.

The Delhi government is also expecting the Centre to provide 100 electric buses under AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) by the end of this year.

The government said it is also working on sensitising auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers.

“We have introduced a four-hour mandatory counselling course for the auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers. Anyone who needs to renew his permit has to get a certificate of this course. Drivers or owners without this certificate will not be allowed to ply their vehicles,” said Rai.

He also said that the government is developing new bus depots in rural areas to provide last-mile connectivity to far-flung areas of the capital city.